Peek Over Our Shoulders: What Rioters Are Reading on July 24, 2017

In this feature at Book Riot, we give you a glimpse of what we are reading this very moment.

Here is what the Rioters are reading today (as in literally today). This is what’s on their bedside table (or the floor, work bag, desk, whatevskis). See a Rioter who is reading your favorite book? I’ve included the link that will take you to their author archives (meaning, that magical place that organizes what they’ve written for the site). Gird your loins – this list combined with all of those archived posts will make your TBR list EXPLODE.

We’ve shown you ours, now show us yours; let us know what you’re reading (right this very moment) in the comment section below!

Jamie Canaves

Death in D Minor (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #2) by Alexia Gordon: Music, art, mystery, and ghosts is apparently everything I didn’t realize I needed to read right now. (egalley)

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff: I loved Fates & Furies and while trying to find out if Groff’s first novel was a mystery or not I discovered that a lot of Rioters loved it so automatic must-read-now for me! (ebook)

Heartsick by Chelsea Cain: I am forever pissed off that her Mockingbird comic was canceled so I figured it was time to finally start reading her mystery books–which have been recommended to me a bazillion times. I inhaled half this book before bed (Bedtime? What bedtime?) and see why it got recommended so much. (paperback)

Casey Stepaniuk

Foxglove Summerby Ben Aaronovitch: I’ve been trying to stretch out this series cause I don’t want it to be over but I just HAD to find out what happened in the wake of the last book, so I downloaded it immediately after finishing the previous one. (Audiobook)

Claire Handscombe

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser: The author is one of our own contributors and I was curious to see what she had written – especially with all the buzz it’s been getting. It’s great so far, fun and really well written with strong characters — definitely going on the list for any presents I need to buy middle graders. (ARC)

The Party by Elizabeth Day: This book has been on lots of “must-read” lists in the UK and it sounded right my street — the British establishment meets deep dark secrets at a fortieth birthday party. It’s coming to the US next month, and I begged the Little, Brown publicist for a copy and started reading straight away. It’s so good. (ARC)

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea by Alyssa Mastromonaco: I have been dying to read this White House memoir by a young, female Josh Lyman for a months but was holding firm because the ebook price was astronomical. But then it was on special offer for a day, so I went for it. Yay. (ebook)

Rebecca Hussey

My Heart Hemmed In by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump: I’ve read two other NDiaye novels and have found them beautiful, rich, and strange. This one was originally published in French in 2007, and I’m excited that Two Lines Press is publishing a translation this summer. (paperback)

Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher: I can never resist a good academic novel, and this one is epistolary, told solely through letters of recommendation. It’s an awesome concept. (hardcover)

Mya Nunnally

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin: I had read The Fifth Season a while back, and just recently reread it in order to read this (its sequel) and The Stone Sky, the final book in Jemisin’s fantasy series. (paperback)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: This has been on my to-be-read list for a while despite its (in my opinion) terrible cover. I love supporting self-published authors. (ebook)

11/22/63by Stephen King: After thoroughly enjoying the Hulu adaptation, I thought I would read the novel (paperback)

Artemisby Andy Weir (Nov. 14, Crown): *MUPPET ARMS* The author of The Martian has a new book, and so far, it’s great! (e-galley)

A State of Freedom by Neel Mukherjee (Jan. 2, W.W. Norton & Company): I don’t know anything about this book except someone told me it was great, so away we go! (e-galley)

Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches by John Hodgman (Oct. 24, Viking): Vacationland is the slogan on our license plates here in Maine, so I think I am legally required to read this. (e-galley)

Alison Doherty

Magic for Beginnersby Kelly Link: Years ago I saw this book at Skylight Books in Los Angeles under staff recommendations. It was described as a mix between Harry Potter and Alice Munro. So far these stories are living up to that recommendation! (paperback)

Girls and Sex: Navigating the New Landscapeby Peggy Orenstein: Put this on hold at the library after listening to an old NPR podcast with the author. It’s interesting how, at age twenty-nine, half the time I identify with the perspective of the teen girls and half the time I identify with the adult author. (hardcover)

Karina Glaser

Girls Who Code by Reshma Saujani (8/22, Penguin Random House): Reshma Saujani is my hero, and I’m so excited about this book! (ARC)

Secret Coders: Robots and Repeats by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes (10/3, First Second): Guess I’m on a tech/coding kick! Love this series and can’t wait for this newest one to be released. (Paperback)

Christina Vortia

Speak of Me As I Am by Sonia Belasco: I’ve been really excited to read this book, so when I saw it available on my library Hoopla account, I jumped on it! (Audiobook)

Rebecca Renner

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty (10/3 W. W. Norton): This book had me at the Dia de los Muertos skull on the cover, but it’s kept me with the amazing research Doughty uses to describe the death rituals of various world cultures. Believe it or not, this book is funny, too! (egalley)

Sarah Nicolas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I’m so glad I finally got to this book! The book is heartbreaking and I was so pleased to discover the audiobook is narrated by Bahni Turpin, who is incredibly talented. (audiobook)

It’s Not Like It’s a Secret by Misa Sugiura: I’d heard mixed reviews on this one, but it’s a YA f/f romance and I’m here for all the sweet, sweet lady kisses! (audiobook)

Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis: The publisher offered me a review copy of this one and I’m a sucker for women in fantasy settings escaping their inescapable fates. (audiobook review copy)

The Reader by Traci Chee: I feel like I slept on this one last year and am so happy it crossed my path again. And it has another favorite narrator, Kim Mai Guest! (audiobook)

Beth O’Brien

Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Peterson: I binge-listened to most of this while I was sick this week, too tired to use my eyeballs. I’ve been really enjoying the smart commentary on women in pop culture and doing some low key fist pumping. (audio)

The Mother of All Questions by Rebecca Solnit: I guess I’m feeling particularly feminist this month. I’m not very far into this collection of essays, but I’m really enjoying it. I’ve already jotted down some great quotes! (paperback)

The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich: I’ve been hearing great things about this one and have been eagerly waiting for my hold to come in at the library. It’s finally here and so far it’s right up my alley. (hardcover)

Jessica Yang

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate: I had fun reading Seven Ways We Lie and also, despite being not at all musical, I love a cappella so I had to check this out! (hardcover)

Deepali Agarwal

A State of Freedom by Neel Mukherjee: Is reading this before his other, Booker Prize-nominated work a good idea? We’ll soon find out, because I found the cover blurb for this book fascinating, and could not resist. Dealing with displacement and migration, Mukherjee’s latest book promises something adjacent to Mohsin Hamid, and I will do anything to fill the giant, Exit West-shaped hole in my heart. (hardcover)

Inferior by Angela Saini: I know that we live in an oppressively patriarchal world, with targeted misinformation about women seeking to keep them in their place all the time, but reading the facts and details behind the narrative that has always been spun for us hits hard. I’m reading this because I need to. (paperback)

Lone Fox Dancing by Ruskin Bond: To balance out the heartache from some difficult reads, I am also reading Ruskin Bond’s autobiography, which is a beautiful mix of his experiences. Bond’s writing has a charm which makes everything–from love to heartbreak–charming and soothing. (hardcover)

Aram Mrjoian

Home Fireby Kamila Shamsie: I just got started on this novel, which I am reading to review. (ARC)

Spatializing Blackness: Architectures of Confinement and Black Masculinity in Chicago by Rashad Shabazz: I am currently reading this book for a class and it’s brilliant. I highly recommend it both for people living in Chicago and across the U.S. (paperback)

Sharanya Sharma

Want by Cindy Pon: A futuristic YA about the Haves vs. the Have-nots where even clean air is a luxury you have to afford, and one boy who’s willing do anything to change that. Air suits, flying cars, virtual world-hopping, kidnapping, spy games, protests, and romance — how could I pass that up?!

Christine Ro

The Intuitionistby Colson Whitehead: This book is delightfully bonkers. It’s a moody satire of race relations told through the medium of…elevator obsession. Exactly. (Paperback)

Monica Friedman

The Ethical Slut: a Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities by Dossie Easton and Catherine Liszt. If I’m going to be a slut, I want to go about it in an ethical fashion. (Paperback)

The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station by Edward Hoornaert. Every month for the last year or so, I’ve met up with Ed and other members of the Science Fiction Writers America (Tucson chapter) to write quietly together for two hours. Ed gave me this book. (Paperback)

Shiri Sondheimer

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed: His Black Bolt run is incredible and I can’t wait for the next issue to gobble more of his words. (e-book)

An Oath of Dogsby Wendy N. Wagner: Attended a live world-building panel at Emerald City Comic Con in which Wendy participated. She is hilarious and a darn-fine storyteller. (e-book)

Ilana Masad

Where the Past Beginsby Amy Tan: I’m reading this memoir for a review and it’s mesmerizing to see how this author’s brain works (ARC)

Meanwhile, Elsewhere edited by Cat Fitzpatrick and Casey Plett: This is an incredible anthology I’m also reading for a review, and it’s all speculative fiction by trans writers. I’m in love! (ARC)

Katie McLain

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard: I’ve had this one on my list for a while – dark historical mystery featuring a young Edgar Allan Poe – but honestly, the reason why I’m reading it now was because all the mystery/suspense audiobooks I REALLY wanted to listen to were all downloaded already from my library. (digital audiobook)

Kathleen Keenan

The Vegetarianby Han Kang: This book has received rave reviews literally everywhere, and a copy finally came in at my library. (paperback)

Kate Krug

Warcrossby Marie Lu: Because every single one of the book bloggers I follow have given this RAVE reviews and I had to get in on the action. And I’m all for a bad ass Asian hacker heroine. (ARC)

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popović: First, the cover is gorge. Second, a dark, magical fantasy. Third, Eastern European characters–which I do not read a lot about. (ARC)

Steph Auteri

The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich: I was intrigued by the premise of this book, a memoir by a woman who thought herself staunchly against the death penalty, but whose beliefs are shaken when a particular murder case reveals parallels with her own past. (Ebook)

The Willpower Instinctby Kelly McGonigal: I’m actually reading this one at the suggestion of a pair of ghostwriting clients, as the contents informed their own writing. But heck, I could certainly use more willpower, so this is turning into a self-helpy read, too. (Hardcover)

Jessica Plummer

He’s Got Rhythm: The Life and Career of Gene Kelly by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson: I love Kelly, but I’m struggling a bit with the authors’ rose-tinted perspective on him and some oddly dated and homophobic framing. (ARC)

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix: This has been sitting on my TBR pile for literal years and I finally dusted it off and cracked into it. It’s slow going so far, but I’ve loved Nix’s work in the past so I’m hoping it’ll pick up. (Hardcover)

Derek Attig

Don’t Call Us Dead: Poems by Danez Smith: Smith is known for writing poetry that grapples with police violence and white supremacy, and this incredible collection continues that aesthetically and politically crucial work. You should pre-order a copy right now. (ARC)

Artemisby Andy Weir: I enjoyed The Martian, so I jumped at this. (ARC)

Kate Scott

We Love You, Charlie Freemanby Kaitlyn Greenidge: This has been on my TBR list since last year. I love stories that have to do with science and animal cognition and this one checks those boxes. (Library Hardcover)

The Complete Enneagramby Beatrice Chestnut: I love learning about the Enneagram and this book focuses on the instinctual subtypes, which is not an aspect of the Enneagram that I am very familiar with. (Library Paperback)

In a Sunburned Countryby Bill Bryson: I listened to two Bill Bryson audiobooks last year and loved both, so I’m giving this one a try. (Audiobook)

The Wicked Boyby Kate Summerscale: This is on my TBR list from last year. I’m in the mood for true crime and this sounds like a particularly interesting case. (Library Hardcover)

Tasha Brandstatter

Moon Over the Mediterranean by Sheri Cobb South: I love South’s John Pickett mysteries series, and this book was described as an homage to Mary Stewart, one of my favorite writers.

Dana Staves

Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years by David Litt: Fresh out of college, David Litt landed a job as one of the speechwriters for the Obama White House, and this book is his story of his time working for the administration. Part humorous political memoir, part wistful look back at a gentler time, all tinged with Litt’s self-deprecating humor and the hindsight that comes from post-Obama life. (ARC, Ecco, September 19, 2017)

Adiba Jaigirdar

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle: I saw the trailer for the new movie. Loved it. Realised that I had somehow never read the book. I had to rectify that immediately. (ebook)

Margaret Kingsbury

When the English Fall by David Williams. I enjoy a good apocalypse novel, and this one seems unique as it centers on the perspective of an Amish farmer. (Egalley)

Rabeea Saleem

Madness Is Better Than Defeat by Ned Beauman: I love eccentric plotlines so this madcap romp through a lost Mayan temple in the jungles of Honduras seems to be right up my alley. It also features a rogue CIA agent! (Paperback).

Priya Sridhar

Miami Beach by Howard Kleinberg: I’m reading this as research for a novella. Before Miami Beach was a party city, it was marshy area ripe for opportunity. Black and white photographs capture the century it took to make such a place. (Hardcover)

Megan Cavitt

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith: This book has been out for so long that I found a copy for a dollar at a library sale. Let’s call that fate. (Paperback)

Emma Allmann

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinsonby Emily Dickinson: I just really love Emily Dickinson and haven’t had a chance to spend a lot time with her poems in the last few years so I’m officially revisiting her. I do love that I can look at the notes I’ve made in my copy and see what I’m noticing now versus when I last read it! (Paperback)

Angel Cruz

American Panda by Gloria Chao: When I first heard about this book, I may have screamed a little bit from sheer delight. Mei is so relatable and very much like me when I was younger, and I’m so excited to see how her story unfolds. (e-galley)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: This is one of those books I tried to read as a kid, but just could not get into for some reason. Trying it now as an adult, I’ve gotten halfway through after a few nights of reading some pages at bedtime, and I’m definitely enjoying it more. (Paperback)

Right of First Refusalby Dahlia Adler: I really liked the first Adler book I read–Just Visiting–and have been meaning to circle back to her past work for ages. I’m only a few chapters in, but am already very intrigued by Mase and Cait’s shared history. (e-book)

The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo by Zen Cho: I was so pleased when I saw this mentioned in a previous Book Riot Deals post, as I loved Cho’s Sorcerer to the Crown. I’ve just started reading, but I love Cho’s writing style and am excited to see where the story takes me. (e-book)

Cecilia Lyra

Pedal by Chelsea Rooney: As a member of the International Festival of Authors book club, I am lucky enough to meet not only with fellow bookworms, but also with a rotating list of great authors who pick the books and lead the discussion. This month, the inimitable Zoe Whittall chose Pedal. The novel tells the story of Julia Hoop, a 25-five-year-old psychology graduate student who is exploring the subject of pedophilia from an unorthodox angle: Julia interviews women who don’t feel traumatized by the sexual molestation they experienced as children. To say that this is an emotionally challenging read would be the understatement of the decade – and do keep in mind that, being on Twitter, I cannot escape some very disturbing reads (cough-Trump-cough). So far, my favorite thing about this novel is reading about the great Canadian landscape as Julia rides her bicycle on a cross-country journey, from Vancouver to Toronto. (e-book)

The Unseen World by Liz Moore: This was also a book club selection. It tells the story of Ada, who, as a child, learns that her brilliant, enigmatic computer-scientist father is suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. This is not a light read by any means, but compared to Pedal it is like eating a jellybean dipped in frosting. A warm thanks to The Girly Book Club for picking it as our July book. (e-book)

Tracy Shapley

The Nix by Nathan Hill. Thanks to the folks at Just the Right Book!, (the exclamation point is theirs, not mine) I’m finally getting around to reading the book everyone was reading last year. I’m only about 40 pages in but am already in love. This is very good timing because the last few books I’ve read have been real snoozers. (Paperback)

Jaime Herndon

After Kathy Ackerby Chris Kraus. Acker’s writing was gutsy and daring, and Kraus is a trailblazer in her own right (hello, I Love Dick). This perfect pairing for a biography is really good so far, and provides what feels like an insider’s glimpse of Acker’s life. (ARC)

Motherestby Kristen Iskandrian. A novel about parenthood, becoming a parent, and everything that goes along with that. I just started it, but really liking it so far. (ARC)

The Worrier’s Guide to the End of the Worldby Torre DeRoche. Sort of like the anti-Eat Pray Love, it’s a travel memoir taking place in Italy and India. When Torre meets a fellow traveler, Masha, they decide to travel together for a bit – and this is their story. (ARC)